Elon Musk surpasses Bill Gates to become world’s 2nd richest person

The rise in share price of the electric car-firm Tesla pushed its CEO Elon Musk to become the second-richest person in the world, surpassing Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates.
24 November 2020

Saudi Arabia to offer vaccines to all residents for free: state TV

Saudi Arabia’s health ministry said on Monday that Covid-19 vaccines will be free for all people living in the kingdom, state TV reported.
24 November 2020

BBC 100 Women 2020: 2 Bangladeshis on the list

Two Bangladeshi women -- Rina Akhter, a former sex worker, and Rima Sultana Rimu, a teacher -- have been included in BBC’s annual list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world.
24 November 2020

Trump administration officially begins transition to Biden after weeks of delay

After weeks of defiance, President Donald Trump on Monday allowed officials to proceed with a transition to President-elect Joe Biden, giving his Democratic rival access to briefings and funding even as he vowed to persist with efforts to fight the election results.
24 November 2020

John Kerry, who signed Paris accord for US, is Biden's climate envoy

Former US secretary of state John Kerry helped broker the landmark Paris Agreement and signed it on behalf of the United States, a decision subsequently reversed by President Donald Trump.
24 November 2020

World must not turn away from Afghans: UN

The international community must continue aiding Afghanistan or risk “disastrous consequences,” UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi urged yesterday as a donors conference kicked off in Geneva.
23 November 2020

Greenhouse gas levels at new high despite Covid curbs: UN

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the main driver of climate change, hit record highs last year and have continued climbing this year, despite measures to halt the pandemic, the UN said yesterday.
23 November 2020

‘Point of no return’

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed gave the leaders of a dissident northern region 72 hours to surrender ahead of a threatened all-out assault on Tigray’s capital, Mekele.
23 November 2020

Turkey’s trial of Saudi suspects resumes

A Turkish court will resume the trial in absentia of 20 Saudi officials today for the gruesome killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
23 November 2020

‘5-star culture’ in Congress

Congress’s Ghulam Nabi Azad, one of the key dissenters in the party, on Sunday offered another explanation of the party’s recent slump when it comes to elections.
23 November 2020

US formally withdraws from Open Skies treaty

The US on Sunday formally exited the decades-old Open Skies Treaty, some six months after President Donald Trump first announced the decision, according to the State Department.
23 November 2020

HK activists detained for 2019 illegal assembly

Three young Hong Kong dissidents including Joshua Wong were remanded into custody yesterday after pleading guilty to inciting a rally during last year’s pro-democracy protests, deepening the crackdown against Beijing’s critics.
23 November 2020

French ex-president Sarkozy on trial for graft

France’s former president Nicolas Sarkozy went on trial yesterday on charges of corruption, becoming the first French ex-head of state to stand as an accused in the dock and risking a humiliating end to a career tainted by legal woes.
23 November 2020

Unicef to ship 2b Covid vaccines to poor nations in 2021

Nearly 2 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be shipped and flown to developing countries next year in a “mammoth operation”, the UN children’s agency Unicef said yesterday, as world leaders vowed to ensure the fair distribution of vaccines.
23 November 2020

World's top surgical glove maker shuts factories due to coronavirus

A Malaysian company that is the world's biggest manufacturer of surgical gloves will close over half of its factories after a surge in coronavirus cases among workers, authorities said Monday.
23 November 2020

Ethiopia says Tigray capital encircled after surrender ultimatum

Ethiopian federal forces are encircling the Tigray region’s capital from around 50 km (31 miles), the government has said, after giving the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) a 72-hour surrender ultimatum.
23 November 2020

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh should be merged: Maharashtra minister

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik has said that his party -- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) -- will welcome BJP's move “if it creates one country by merging India, Pakistan and Bangladesh,” reports Indian news channel NDTV.
23 November 2020

Ice Bucket Challenge activist dies aged 37

Patrick Quinn, whose personal battle with ALS helped power the Ice Bucket Challenge fundraising campaign, died on Sunday at age 37, seven years after his diagnosis, supporters announced on Facebook.
23 November 2020

Netanyahu met Saudi crown prince, Israeli cabinet minister confirms

A member of Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet and Likud party confirmed media reports on Monday that the Israeli prime minister had held a meeting in Saudi Arabia, calling it an “amazing achievement”.
23 November 2020

New Zealand leader Ardern offers virus know-how to Joe Biden

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday became the latest world leader to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden on his election victory, saying she offered to share her nation’s expertise on dealing with the coronavirus.
23 November 2020